Fuse



` cleared.

Patented Gctv'23, 1928.

f UNIT-En STATES CHARLES H. PEARSON, 0F ianooiiiiivn, MAssAoHUsETTs l l v FUSE.

Application filed September 22, 1926.V Serial No`.f13"?,125.y

attached is the extremelilrelihood'of premal ture discharge because of the. detonationV of the p-rimer of the Jfuse. This detonation may f occur vfrom a varietyof. causes, Vsome known and other unknown, and-it has been the aim oi inventors off Lthis class of devices toproduce a safety device which Will'prevent absolutely the premature detonation ofthe primer of a inse, While yet .allowing the primer and the fuse to operate properly and at the vdesired time to cause an explosion of the shell. In my development of this art I have devised several improved and noveljmeansby whichv this desirable result `may be accomplished and one of suoli means is" disclosedand n n 2-1f2 ofFigl; .E y y. Fig. isasectional plan .vieiv onfthe'.line;`

of Fig/1;; l. f i' g Y Fig. l lis afragmentary'sectional plan yview,A Y nl" Y y claimed in the patent .granted to me,` No. 15,543,232, dated-@111623, 1925.- invention I haverdescribed several andv further improved forms of devices oraccome plishing thisdesirab-le result.l In my present invention I have provided-preferably a removable plug Vfitting into a recess lor passage extending through the Wall Iseparating thev detonating chamber of thefusefrom the chamber or recess` in which is located the timing .train and in' such' removable plug I, have formed aI primer' chamber, `which primer chamber maintains the primer always inf alinement with the firing pin operated-and controlled by the timing train.' `Associated with the removable plug` and onv either sideof the primer held in thejprimer chamber,.I ar?.

range movable members which normally shield the primer from the action-of the tiring pin and also shieldthe charge-in the detonat-v ing chamber from the flash. of the primer due to the premature detonationthereof. These .movable members are operable under thef inf fluenee of centriijfugail` force to lm,'ove''intojsueh .e f a position relative to the primerchamber .and

the iringipinpthat access tothe primer is provided and also the passage extending .from .Y

the primer tothe detonatingehamber ,is

connected togetherfor simultaneous move'- ment or maybe separated from each .Qtliei e and each capable` of independent.move-ment,

and further, such members maybe rotatably Y mounted on an axislyingparallel tothe lon'gif tudinal axis oit the fuseor such membersmay In my present Y These `movable m'embers mayjbe-V be slidably mounted in a radial LdireItioiif y undery the iniiuenee of centrifugal force.'

Again, such members are yieldingly heldin l such laposition as to prevent Contact of `the,

iiring pin with the prime-r andkr to prevent aci;-

cess tothe detonatingfchainberof a flash from the primer and when. the device is operated..

under tlieiniluenee offcentritugal forceinto position to allow the ier-ing p-in to strike! the primer, the movable members are preferably locked in such position'.`

and the like.

In the aceomp anying draiviiigsillustrating preferred embodiments of myV invention,

rIhe objectlof my present invention, there-f, fore, is an improved safety ineansifor fuses ive.' l is a vertical, 'central sectionalelevar' i' tion of a fuse body to vwhich my invention has been applied; 'l n Fig; 2 is a sectionalplanA vieiv Fig Sis sectionalVV elevation showing `rthe similar' toFigl 2 but With a partshoivnin and:v out ofpositiongf` i Fig-...5 isa sectionalv plan view o'nthe-lineA .i

'Fig. (Sis a vertical, central, setioiialeleva-"ff v fr Y. vtion of a fuse body showing a `modifieation ofj' Y. `my invention appliedthereto;V Figfe'isa plan viewonlthe line/Zee? of va iragn'ientary,` vertical, central ,Fig 9V is a perspective view oi the "movable I 'e member illustrated-in Figsjdf andS; l

Fig.l l0 is a plan view o-fa portie safety member, and

Fig. 1l is ingildeviee 12-Vfor holding'affuse cap '13 `therefV on against longitudinal 'movement lWhile permittingrrotary movement ofsucli frise cap. The upper end oftlieiiusebody l0 lisrecess'ed.

showing a modified form et construe-tion o fafA Y sectional'ie'levation"onlfthe. liney llfll'of'Fig; 10; I .Referring to the drawings, andp"articularly.` Y y ,Y

attldV to l[receivevtiming `mechaiiisin llybutf Y ivhengtlie apparatusisdesignedto be anj pact-:fusa suchtiming mechanism l5 In 'l omitted.;Theloweriendiofthebody lOfisl en.-

" 'tending to holda baille A'plate 26 against the l'pin 32.V Fig. 4 showsfthe operated" position Y of the bafflek plate j26 and the spring Y34 tends to holdthe baffle plate 26 in its operative positernally threadedV ate16, such threading screwinginto'a shell body.V The lower end of the fuse body is recessed at 17 and the outer end of this recessed portion is threadedV at 18 to receive the externally threaded plate 19. There is a considerable 'body of metal Y 2O separating the recesses 14 and 17 and such Vupper surface of thisV baille plate 26 lying` body 2O is perforated as indicated at 21, the lower portion of this perforation20'being threaded to receive an externally threadedV .primer plug 22. vThe primer plug 22 is slotted, as indicated at 23, to provide a flat pasf sage in which is loosely fitted a baille plate 24. Rotatably mounted'in the plug 22 and cen-v trally thereof is a'shaft 25, to which isV vsecured the battle plate 24 and to the top of this shaft25 is also secured a baffle plat-e 26,V the slightly below the lower Vsurface of the recess 14. lilxtendingv through the plug 24 is a flame passage 27 and at the upperend 'of the flame passage is formed a primer holdingV chamber 28, in which is ordinarily iittedf the usual primer 29. The baffle Aplate 26 is provided with a cut-out portion or groove thatvis Vin alinement with `a VperforationV 31 i in the baille plate 24 and ordinarily the baille plates 26. and 24 are soypositioned with respect to the flame passage 27 as to bring'the groove 80 and perforation 31V out ofaline'j ment therewith. Associated withthev timing y' mechanism 15 is a firing pinV 32 that is inverfY ext-ending upward fromfthe 'plug22 is a pin f VVVwith the flame Vpassage 27 The 'spring 34,'

' thereforerholds thei'bafile plate 26 either in tical alinement with the primer 29 and'passage 27, which is ordinarily preventedV from coming in contact with the primer 29 ,by the baflle plate 26. The normal position of the baille plate 26 is shown in Fig.Vv 2, where anti- Vclockwise*movement beyond a certain point is prevented by such baffle plate engaging with the pin 32. secured to and extending upward fromthe plug V22. VAlso secured to and 33, to whichis securedfone'end of a U-shaped spring Y34, the otherrend of 'this spring" en'VA gaging'vwiththe baffle plate 26, asshown, and

tion with the groove 30 thereof in alinenient open or closed positioni The baflleplate V24 V beingin alinement withthe grooveV orient-ontV '30 in the'balfle plate 26, when the baifle'plate 26 is inthe position shownV in Figw4with'theY '160 groovevvOtherein. in alinementwith the flame being secured to Ythezshfaft 25,V and, therefore, movable y simultaneously .withv the baffle plate 26 and perforation 81 in such baille plate 24 passage 27 there willbe provided a through i passage from the recess 14 to the flame cham*- ber 17. Theiprimer 29 being in a stationary {member} there 1s no danger of premature det'V onation such assometimes occurs when mov- .j Referringnow to Figs.

designates the fuse body having at its upper able primer'holders are employed. y The baffle plate-26 is so constructed as to be overhalanced in certain respectsand the assembly Y .ofthe baille plates 24, 26 and the vshaft 25 will,

during the rotation of the fuse body 10, caused by the rifling in the gun from which the fuse is fired, rotate the assembly of the baille plates 24 and 26 in a clockwise direc- -tion or Vfrom the'pos'ition shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig."4. i l

lf-the primer 29 has', forfexample, been in the'fuse for a considerable length of time, it

may be desirable to remove the same and substitute therefor another and fresher timer. ln order that this may be done without disjturbing the setting ofthe timing vtrain 15, l vhave arranged the plug 22 so as to be screwed into thebody 2O between the recesses 14 and 17 and have provided the end face of the plug 22 with radially spaced depressions 35, these depressions receiving a spanner and by means of which the lplug 22 may be inserted in or withdrawn from thefuse body'lO and this without Vdisturbing the time fuse 15 in an way. s

While ordinarily there is no danger of flame passing downward from the'primer 29 flame passage' 27 in the 'detonating chamber 17 yet to insure an'easy path for the passage of iiame from such primer` under abnormal conditions,V I have formed that portion of the Vbale plate 26 normally overtheprimer 29, Vas indicatedat 36 in Fig. 1`. This formation of thebaffle plate 26 at this point will allow iiame'caused bythe'detonation of the primer 29 to be deflected upward and outwardaround the'timing train loratherthan to be forced downward around the baffle plate 24 and through `thegfiamepassage 27.

6 to 9v inclusive, 10

Vend the annular recess 11 in which is an an- {nularholding device12 for holding afuse cap ,13 -thereonragainst longitudinal move- Yment' while` yet permittingnrotary movement '.offsuch cap :on the body. As'was described 15. "lhis passage 41 is enlarged at its upper end to provide a-prmer chamber 28V-in which is fitteda .primer 29.Y Perpendicular to the passa'ge'41 and diametrically Aarranged with respect to the'plug 40and arranged above and below thel primer 29, are recesses y42 Vand 43 respectively I Slidably'mounted in therecess Ybeyond. the baille plateV 24 and through theVV 42 is a. pin or shaft 43a, lone end 'of which is I provided with a longitudinal recess 44 and Ythe other and lower end ofl which is provided with a notchv 45. On the side opposite the VCh lill

. notch 45 is formed a flatface 46 and engaging with .theflat face 46 is a depressed'porti'on 47 formed by forcing a portion of the material of thfrplug 40 into the recess 42. The engagement of Lthe projection`4'.7 with the flat face 46 prevents rotary movement of the rod 43a in the recess 42. Intermediate the'ends of the bar 43*LV and .perpendicular to the Vface 46 perforation 48, which, 'when the .bar43a/is movedto theY left of Fig. 6, under the inlinence of centrifugal force or intocthe posit-ion shown in Fig. 8, brings the 'perforation 48 into alinement with the passage 4l. `Fitting into the recess 44 is one end ofv `a coil spring 49, the other end ofgthis coil spring engaging with .the zbottom ofv the recess 42 and this coil spring 49 .tends 'to hold the :bar 43a inthe -position shown in Fig. 6 or with solid material in alinement `with the tiring pin 321and,fthereV fore, l.whenthe bar 43 is'in the position shown in Fig. V6,`there is Ynonpossibility of the Aiiring pin 32 rbeingallowed to come into engagement with .the primer 29. #Slida'bly mounted in the recess A43 is a second 'bar 43a and in this instance the 'a-'tface 46 is on the bottom., as viewed in the dra-wings, and `engaging with ythis new bottom face46 -is aprojection 50 formed by forcing up the material of the-plug 40 into -thefrecess 43. .When inthe position shown in Fig. 6 andthe bar 43a is held in this position by the spring49, solid material lies across the passage 4l andwhen, under the influence of centrifugal force, thespring 49 is compressed and the bar 43zl moves into the position shown in Fig. 8, the passage 48 therein will be in alinement with the passage 4l and flame from the detonating primer 29 will be allowed to flow through the passage41 and into the detonating chamber' 17. By reference to Figs. 6 and 8, it will be noted-that the notches 45 in the bars 43a are opposite each other, and also, it will benoted that the plug 40 is provided with .a passage 5l that lies parallel to the llame passage 41. In such passage 5l are latches 52 and between these latches is a coil spring 53, this coil spring tending to force the latches 52 upward and downward respectively or from the position shown in Fig. 6 into the position shownin Fig. 8. The outward movement-.of the latches 52 can only take place whenl the bars432'L are vmoved from the position shown in 6 to that shown in Fig. 8 and` it will be obvious y that having reached theV position` shown in Fig. 8, the latches 52 will actas mea-ns for locking the bars 43a in such position so that after the shell comes to rest, it will still beV possible to detonate thesame under the control of the timing` mechanism l5. y

Referring now to. Figs. l0 and 11, there is shown a further modification of my invention and in this modification the fuse body l0 f is provided as formerly with a screw plug 54. In this case the plug 54 is not as thick as the thickness ofthe Vwall in the fuse body 10 b-ut .la device arranged practically induplicateon,

such plug :is provided a :Harrie passage 55l and' with ka .primer'clianiber .56' attheaulpper en'dthereof.` The Ysere-w Lplug 54 is `centrally drilled to receive vasadriving.fit aipi-n V15?? .that .e lies parallel; to 'the anis-ofthe fuse body lO mi andY rotatably mounted on such Spinl fisone ofltheplates 26 andassoci-ated with this plate v26 is. alspring `34 :mounted lon ithe pin i 33, this spring 3.41acting'as abovefdescribed .with 'ref-,

Verence `to Figs. il to .5to lock 4'the plate i6 lin 'f either the .positionshown in 'FigpflO and,V Y

wherethe primer:chanrberi56tis covered or .ii-n such position .that the Leut-out lportion.` f3() thereof 'exposes the primer' chamber :56.- .to

view for .to the `action offthe y'iirlin'g pin an VThe screw :plug @54 is provided with a l'transverse slot F58 simil-ar to ftheftransverseslot123A Vin Fig. 1 -and that `portion off-the fplug below the slot58 fis drilled to receive as alrotathas a slotted h-ead() 'tor-'med at-its 7lcwvei-en-d Aand also at rits upper end 'which fis redujo-ed in y diameter, -a-s indicated 4at 6L-.and on this duced portion is -slidablyimounted-a .protect ingxplate162-wh-ieh is similar 1in Ioutline ltoftheim" Lplate'24ldescribed lwith.referencezto l Y, q g

to 5 inclusive. vThey portion `vof thefinem'ber 59 'adjacent to` the 4reduced `por-tiranti Ilias c f coiled-fthcreabout fa springf63ancl one 4end lof this spring iitsinto av slotted recess on the l tension on the spring 63. Themember 62105 has associated therewith a spring identical with the spring 34 and this spring 34 'is A mounted on an extension of the pin-33.V The spring for the 'members 62 and the extension of the pin `33 arel not illustrated` and .Y it v isp. thought that this construction will be obvious f from t-he present description. In the form of@` mydevice show inv FigsflOand l1, the protecting members loc-ated above `'and below the primer chamber vare independently movable and are spring` operated and spring held in the extreme operated position. Y. It will be obvious from the above that I may, within the limits of myinvention, have eitherV side of the primer holdingchainber y and theseV duplicate devices may be either connected together to work as a unit or may berindependently operable either in a rotaryv Y or a sliding mannergthe rotary'device being125` illustrated in Figs. lO and l1, while the slid-1k K Y ing devicesare illustrated in Figs. :6 toV 9 f' inclusive:V Y v Y K The operation of my improved device will be obvious from the above description and it vi".V

'I claim as new is:

-the device within relatively wide limits Without departing from-the invention..

Having thus described my invention, what l; A safety device for fuses havingV a detonating chamber,fa primer chamber and a passage flame leading from said primer chamber to the detonating chamber of a movable member in said fuse interposed between the primer chamber and the detonating chamber and extending transversely; of the flame passage, a second Vmember associated and simultaneouslyr movable with the rst member, said members being movable by centrifugal force to exposeV the primer in theV primer cliamber to the action of the firing pin and to clear the flame passage.

2. A safety device for fuses having a detonating chamber, a primer chamber and a passage leading from said primer chamber to the detonatingchamber of a movable plate in Vsaid fuse interposed between the primer chamber andthe detonating chamber and eX- tending transversely ofthe flame passage, Va

second plate associated and simultaneously Y 1 movable with the first plate, said plates being movable by centrifugal force to .expose the primer in the primer chamber tothe action of the firing pin and to clear the flame passage. V Y v 3. An improved primer plug Vfor fuses comprising a bodyv member, a primer chamn Vber formed therein, a flame passage in said body member, a rotatably mounted centrifugal operable'shutter onV said member nori mally preventing access to the primer chamber and blocking means associated therewith and located in the body member intermediate the ends thereof.

. 4. An improved primer plug for fuses comprising a bodyn member, a primer chamber `formed therein, a llame passage in said body member and a rotatably mounted plate associated therewith and mounted in the body member and Vnormally blocking the llame passage, a centrifugal operable rotatable shutter on the body member normally preventing access to the primer chamber, said rotatably mounted plate being provided with a' perforation adapted to be brought in- .to alinement with the` flameY passage in the body simultaneously with the rotation of the yshutter for the primer chamber.

In testimony whereof, I havel'signed'my name to this specification. Y p

- CHARLES H. PEARSON. 

